NameCensus.

UK surname

Mchale

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac Cáil, meaning "son of Cáil" (a personal name of uncertain origin).

In the 1881 census there were 879 people recorded with the Mchale surname, ranking it #4,315 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,303, ranked #2,059, up from #4,315 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Toxteth Park and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rochdale, Leeds and Bonnyrigg North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mchale is 3,452 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 275.8%.

1881 census count

879

Ranked #4,315

Modern count

3,303

2016, ranked #2,059

Peak year

2010

3,452 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mchale had 879 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,315 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,303 in 2016, ranked #2,059.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,329 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mchale surname distribution map

The map shows where the Mchale surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Mchale surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mchale over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 361 #6,554
1861 historical 560 #4,704
1881 historical 879 #4,315
1891 historical 986 #4,192
1901 historical 1,248 #3,967
1911 historical 1,329 #3,597
1997 modern 3,100 #2,067
1998 modern 3,223 #2,077
1999 modern 3,306 #2,050
2000 modern 3,305 #2,035
2001 modern 3,241 #2,032
2002 modern 3,284 #2,052
2003 modern 3,172 #2,072
2004 modern 3,206 #2,047
2005 modern 3,235 #2,013
2006 modern 3,230 #2,023
2007 modern 3,281 #2,024
2008 modern 3,299 #2,027
2009 modern 3,378 #2,030
2010 modern 3,452 #2,020
2011 modern 3,385 #2,034
2012 modern 3,283 #2,050
2013 modern 3,383 #2,031
2014 modern 3,410 #2,027
2015 modern 3,353 #2,036
2016 modern 3,303 #2,059

Geography

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Where Mchales are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Toxteth Park, Manchester, Pontefract and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rochdale, Leeds, Bonnyrigg North and Kelty West. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Pontefract Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rochdale 017 Rochdale
2 Leeds 083 Leeds
3 Bonnyrigg North Midlothian
4 Rochdale 010 Rochdale
5 Kelty West Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mchale

These lists show first names that appear often with the Mchale surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mchale

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mchale, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Mchale surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Mchale household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Mchale is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mchale is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mchale falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mchale is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Mchale, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mchale

The surname McHale has its origins in Ireland, with the earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is an Anglicized version of the Gaelic name "Mac Céile," which means "son of the servant." The name is derived from the Old Irish word "céile," meaning "companion" or "servant."

In ancient Irish tradition, the prefix "Mac" was used to denote the son of someone, while "Ó" was used to indicate the grandson or a descendant. The McHale surname was commonly found in County Sligo, County Mayo, and other parts of Connacht in the west of Ireland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the year 1272, a man named "Mac Céile" is mentioned as a witness to a land grant in County Sligo.

Another notable historical reference is the inclusion of the name in the Annals of the Four Masters, a 17th-century chronicle compiled by Franciscan monks. It mentions a family of McHales who were prominent landowners in County Sligo during the 14th and 15th centuries.

The earliest recorded spelling variations of the name include "MacCeile," "MacKyle," and "MacKaile," reflecting the different ways the name was transcribed by scribes and record-keepers of the time.

One of the most famous bearers of the McHale surname was Patrick McHale (1857-1926), an Irish politician and Member of Parliament for North Leitrim. He was a prominent figure in the Irish Parliamentary Party and played a significant role in the struggle for Irish Home Rule.

Another notable McHale was Michael McHale (1899-1982), an Irish-American writer and journalist who worked for several newspapers in New York City. He was known for his coverage of World War II and his novels set in Ireland.

In the 18th century, James McHale (1732-1809) was a prominent merchant and landowner in County Mayo. He was involved in the Irish linen trade and played an essential role in the economic development of the region.

John McHale (1767-1838) was an Irish Catholic prelate who served as the Archbishop of Tuam from 1830 until his death. He was a staunch advocate for Catholic rights and played a significant role in the campaign for Catholic Emancipation in Ireland.

Another notable figure was Mary McHale (1858-1940), an Irish nun and educator who founded the Sisters of the Holy Faith, a religious order dedicated to education and social work in Ireland and other parts of the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mchale families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mchale surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 56 Mchales recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.39x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 56 4.39x
Lancashire 40 2.62x
Cheshire 9 3.17x
Denbighshire 9 18.51x
Derbyshire 7 3.47x
Northumberland 5 2.61x
Middlesex 2 0.16x
Durham 1 0.26x
Lincolnshire 1 0.49x
Staffordshire 1 0.23x
Surrey 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Pontefract in Yorkshire leads with 22 Mchales recorded in 1881 and an index of 800.00x.

Place Total Index
Pontefract 22 800.00x
Leeds 18 24.99x
West Derby 9 20.14x
Liverpool 8 8.62x
Ormskirk 8 273.97x
Whitwood 8 441.99x
Ludworth 7 736.84x
Middlewich 7 1206.90x
Wrexham Abbot 6 491.80x
Manchester 5 7.28x
North Shields 5 130.89x
Hunslet 4 20.11x
Salford 4 8.90x
Wrexham Regis 3 83.10x
Chester St John Baptist 2 39.14x
Haslingden 2 31.60x
Sheffield 2 4.92x
St Marylebone London 2 2.91x
Ampleforth Oswaldkirk 1 769.23x
Ardsley 1 68.03x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 8.24x
Clapham 1 6.21x
Pleasington 1 500.00x
Royton 1 21.41x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 1 34.48x
Toxteth Park 1 1.93x
Winlaton 1 27.25x
Wolverhampton 1 2.99x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mchale surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 14
Bridget 9
Ann 7
Catherine 7
Ellen 6
Margaret 6
Sarah 6
Anne 3
Anna 1
Audry 1
Clara 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Margrat 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Mchale surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 11
Thomas 10
Patrick 9
Michael 6
Martin 5
William 5
Edward 4
James 3
Joseph 3
Anthony 2
Alfred 1
Charles 1
Henry 1
Owen 1
Patric 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Roger 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Mchale surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mchale surname in 1881?

In 1881, 879 people were recorded with the Mchale surname. That placed it at #4,315 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mchale surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,303 in 2016. That gives Mchale a modern rank of #2,059.

What does the Mchale surname mean?

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac Cáil, meaning "son of Cáil" (a personal name of uncertain origin).

What does the Mchale map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mchale bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.